Dover city councilor recovering after being mugged in Boston

DOVER — City Councilor Michael Weeden is resting at his home after he was mugged in Boston early Monday morning.

Weeden woke up in Massachusetts General Hospital after losing consciousness following the attack, which occurred about three blocks from South Station.

Weeden and a friend were in Boston after spending Sunday afternoon and evening at the New England Patriots game in Foxboro. There are differing reports as to what happened once they arrived in Boston. According to a police report obtained by Foster's Daily Democrat, Weeden's friend claims Weeden was denied entry into a Boston nightclub because he was too intoxicated. The friend told his mother a bouncer at the nightclub had put Weeden into a cab.

Weeden, who is also a state representative and is seeking re-election to his council seat, claims the story from his friend is not accurate.

“We're both 21 and we'd had a few beers,” Weeden acknowledged. But the companions were not driving. They had taken a C&J bus to Boston and had taken a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority train to Foxboro.

They took the MBTA back to Boston and had planned on taking the C&J bus back to Dover, Weeden said. He said his friend wanted to go out to a bar. Weeden wanted to head home. Weeden gave his debit card to his friend, who had no money left after the football game. His friend wanted to go to a bar called Whiskey Priest. Weeden told Foster's he was worried about missing the bus, so he left his friend and started walking toward South Station.

It was on that walk that Weeden claims he was assaulted and mugged by three assailants. The next thing he knew, it was Monday morning and he was in the hospital.

A police report gathered from an interview with Weeden's mother differs significantly from what Weeden told Foster's. That story came second-hand from a conversation Weeden's mother had with Weeden's friend's mother. The friend had called his mother while he was at the bar at approximately 1:30 a.m. Monday to tell her that Weeden was denied entry to the bar because he was intoxicated and that the bouncer had put Weeden in a taxi. The friend told his mother he would try to get a hotel room across from the bar. His mother did not know the name of the hotel or the bar and did not know where they were in Boston.

Weeden asserted he was never in a taxi and if he were, he said he never would have gotten mugged.

Unaware of the incident, Foster's Daily Democrat was informed about it Wednesday when Weeden sent a reporter an email to quash rumors there had been police activity at his home in connection with not showing up after the Patriots game. Weeden's email led Foster's Daily Democrat to make a Right-to-Know request for a police report relating to the incident.

Weeden wrote: “My parents called the Dover police to report me missing because I never came home from Boston on Sunday. Walking through Boston to South Station to take the C&J bus back home, I was assaulted and mugged by (3) men. I fought back to get my wallet (which I did) but ended up with facial abrasions and dental fracture which landed me in Massachusetts General Hospital. I was discharged early Monday morning and I will be recovering at home for the upcoming week.”

In order to confirm Weeden's story, Foster's called Dover Police. They suggested the newspaper file a Right-to-Know request to receive the full report. According to the report, all police were able to confirm on their end was that Weeden's mother called at 5:42 a.m. Monday to report that he had not come home. After attempts to confirm that Weeden was a patient at Mass General and that he was involved in an incident in Boston early Monday morning failed, Foster's filed a Right-to-Know request with Dover Police. Mass General was unable to deliver patient information over the phone and Boston Police were unable to confirm or search for any non-arrest information without an exact address.

The police statement says Dover Police met with Michael's mother at 5:55 a.m. on Monday. They called Boston Police to confirm that neither Weeden nor his friend had been arrested. Dover Police confirmed neither man had gotten on a C&J bus Sunday night. Weeden's vehicle was still at Dover's C&J early Monday morning. “A Teletype was sent to Boston area police departments for an Attempt to Locate on the two subjects,” according to the statement.

The police report states that there was no information to indicate that the situation was suspicious. It says Weeden and his friend's cell phones had died or had been turned off when they were trying to be reached. The statement says Dover Police suggested Weeden's mother call Boston area hospitals in case he was admitted. The statement says Weeden's parents called Mass General to confirm Weeden had been admitted there that morning. The hospital told Weeden's parents he was released around 7 a.m., but because Weeden is an adult, the hospital could not release any additional information. Dover Police closed the case, writing in the report that a voicemail was left with Dover police at approximately 9 a.m. from Weeden's mother confirming he had passed out after being assaulted and woke up in Mass General. Weeden said he is on pain medication and is resting in his Dover home.

He wrote in an email to Foster's on Wednesday: “This means I will be unable to attend the council meeting this evening. I want to let the citizens of Dover know that I am recovering as quickly as possible to ensure that I can get back to work for the city of Dover.”

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